Garth wanted to bury the story?
At least according to attorneys for the woman who filed a lawsuit against the country singer last week, Garth Brooks was ready to pay big bucks to make her go away.
By now I’m sure everybody’s heard about it, but the complaint filed by a former makeup artist for the country singer and his wife accuses Garth of sexual assault and rape, allegations which Garth has vehemently denied and blasted as an attempt at extortion:
“For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars. It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face.
Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of – ugly acts no human should ever do to another.
We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.
I want to play music tonight. I want to continue our good deeds going forward. It breaks my heart these wonderful things are in question now. I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”
But according to attorneys for Garth’s accuser, he DID offer to “write a check for many millions of dollars.”
The lawyers made the claim yesterday in response to a new filing from Garth in a court in Mississippi, where he filed a lawsuit last month in an attempt to stop the woman from filing her complaint and naming him publicly. In new documents filed yesterday, Garth claims that he’s the victim of a “shakedown,” and includes his accuser’s full name.
The woman had filed her lawsuit against Garth anonymously, but when she was publicly identified by the country singer, her attorneys weren’t happy – and threatened to seek sanctions:
“Garth Brooks just revealed his true self. Out of spite and to punish, he publicly named a rape victim. With no legal justification, Brooks outed her because he thinks the laws don’t apply to him. On behalf of our client, we will be moving for maximum sanctions against him immediately.”
And attorney Douglas Wigdor told USA Today that Garth had previously offered the woman “millions of dollars” in order to make the whole thing go away:
“He is far from the victim of a shakedown and in fact offered millions of dollars to keep this matter from becoming public.”
Of course this seems to contradict Garth’s previous statements that he refused to pay what he referred to as “hush money” because it would be “admitting to behavior that he is incapable of.” Though settlements happen all the time and don’t necessarily mean somebody’s guilty or innocent: Often it’s just easier to pay the settlement and move on.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see if anything else comes out in court, or if Garth responds to this latest statement from his accuser’s attorneys.
But this legal fight is just getting started and it’s already getting nasty.